A couple days after being "reprimended" for shopping at a big box store here in Steamboat by a friend who is also the owner of a local store, who do I bump into at Walmart? You guessed it - she was buying an electronic item that could have been purchased at a local shop across the parking lot. When I called her on it she confessed she figured she'd save a couple bucks by shopping big box.

I don't feel bad at all about shopping where I can save a couple bucks - I save a lot shopping online.

If local merchants want my business they'll have to compete for it, or just continue to cater to the tourists.